He has written to the The Standards Board for England, the body which oversees councillors, urging them not to force Coun Fryers to quit.

The councillor stepped down as the civic leader of Lichfield after he was found guilty of assaulting quantity surveyor Peter Cole, following a bar room altercation in July.

He was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay court costs of £455 and compensation of £75, at a hearing in front of Magistrates in Tamworth.

Coun Fryers has continued in his role as an elected member of the district council and authority chiefs confirmed his sentence would not lead to automatic disqualification. But an inquiry by the Standards Board could lead to him losing his council seat as well.

Mr Fabricant has written to Sir Anthony Holland, the Standards Board Chairman, urging him to show mercy.

He said in the letter: "Coun Fryers has suffered and been punished enough by being stripped of the mayoralty of Lichfield and having his name and character ridiculed in the local and national press."

Last night Mr Fabricant said: "While I do not condone what Mike did, he has been punished enough and the Board should take into account that he has been a hard working and assiduous councillor on behalf of his electorate.

"I hope he will be able to remain a councillor continuing to work hard for the ward in which he lives."